How to spot greenwashing at a luxury hotel, and what to ask instead

You walk into the lobby and it smells like eucalyptus.

There's a card on the desk about the property's "commitment to the planet," and a placard in your room reminding guests that the property cares about the environments, so please leave your towels on the floor if you want fresh ones.

Somewhere on the hotel website, there's a nice little statement about the property being "sustainable luxury."

Sound familiar?

I've stopped being charmed by any of it. At this point, I look at a hotel with these things as the bare minimum. And, the eucalyptus scent being piped through the lobby? It's just a nice smell.

After traveling around the world and writing about travel for 20 years, I've become pretty good at spotting what's legit sustainability versus lip service.

Most hotel sustainability pages are built to make you feel reassured that the hotel isn't contributing to climate change. But, how can you really tell?

You've got to do the digging, which is what Altered Atlas does.

To get to the bottom of whether or not a hotel is truly sustainable, you've got to dig through the greenwashing (the marketing terms that are flung around to make it sound like a business is doing something for the environment).

Is the hotel backing up what it says?

Any property can say it cares about the planet. But, what is it actually doing? For example, I'll always look to see if hotels make it a point to nix single-use plastics. Often times, it's clearly stated on the website because consumers want to know.

Skip the adjectives and keep an eye out for certifications that come from third-party organizations, percentages that speak to waste reduction, plans with dates laid out.

Otherwise, you're likely just reading marketing jargon.

Is the certification independently verified, or did the hotel design it itself?

Anyone can slap a leaf or green recycle arrows on a website. But, not anyone can be certified by legitimate organizations like Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Green Key, and EarthCheck. When a hotel has one of these outside bodies certify the property's practices, it means they're actively engaging in sustainability initiatives.

Where does the conservation fee money go?

A lot of properties tack on a small nightly fee labeled a "conservation levy" or "sustainability fee." That's not automatically a problem. It's a good sign, if the hotel can back it up.

Be sure to ask what it funds, such as habitat restoration, anti-poaching patrols, a water treatment upgrade, a scholarship fund for the town down the road. It needs to be a name you can look up and ensure the money is going somewhere.

Does the water and energy use match where the hotel sits?

Bath tubs, pools, well-manicured grounds aren't a bad thing. However, if those same amenities exist and are in active use in a region where the surrounding community is already short on water is a different story. For example, when I was staying in Cape Town fall 2021, the region was in a deep drought. There were placards in guest rooms asking people to please not use the tubs.

Ask how the property sources its water and power. Solar, greywater recycling, and a water-management plan are things a hotel will include on their sustainability page if it exists, so be sure to look for it.

Does the sustainability story leave out how staff are treated?

While you might not lump this in with greenwashing, it's still incredibly important. You'll want to research how staff are treated, if they are paid fair wages, and where they are from.

Ask what percentage of staff, management included, comes from the local area. Ask about wages directly. A property with nothing to hide usually just tells you.

These are things I always look for when selecting hotels for clients. You can learn more about the Altered Atlas philosophy and vetting here. And if you want all of it in one place before your next trip, grab the free Conscious Luxury Traveler's Guide to get you going.